Lost and found
by Clover10164
Summary: What happends when Chloe's dad runs into the group of on the run teens?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.

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><p>Chloe POV:<p>

_This was what I wanted. This guy. This life. This me. I was never getting my old life back, and I didn't care. I was happy. I was safe. I was right where I wanted to be._

**3 months later**

"Chloe! Come. On!" Tori says as she starts to pull me towards yet another store in the little town we are staying in. "Come on, come on, come on!" She says pulling my arm harder. We walk in to a drug store and I wonder what Tori could possibly want from here.

After dragging me all over the store she finally finds what she wants. Picking up box after box, she holds them up to me.

"Tori what are you doing?" I ask. She pauses for a moment to look at me; before rolling her eyes and turning back to what she was doing. Looking towards the shelf I gasp in delight. Hair dye! I guess she decided it was time to get rid of yet another bad dye job. I hope this one turns out better.

After another thirteen boxes she came across a dark auburn. Her eyes flick between me and the box a few times. Finally, her face lights up in a smile and she grabs another box. "Lets find the bathroom."

Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she turned the lock and smiled mischievously at me. "Wolf boy is going to love this. Now take off your shirt." She starts pulling at it. "Your too impatient, you know that right?" I ask her and she sighs.

"Shirt. Off." She demands.

I stick my tongue out at her and take off my shirt.

After she puts the dye in we sit down on the floor to wait. Neither of us say anything for a while, and I guess she doesn't like the quiet because all of three minutes later she's talking. "I think this color will actually work out. Your gonna look hot!" My cheeks heat

"Tori this isn't about looking hot." My voice comes out as a whine. "Its about me not getting recognized."

A a long suffering sigh and role of her eyes, "Chloe, Chloe, Chloe." She says as she shakes her head. "Yes this will help with your 'disguised' "; she air quoted the word. ",but there is no harm in looking hot too." Her voice implies the 'duh' she left off the end.

I decide act like she hadn't said anything. "How much longer do I have to keep this in?"

In stead of answering she pulls out her phone and starts texting.

And texting.

And texting.

"Um, Tori?" She doesn't even look up. "What are you doing?"

She starts laughing a as she says "Simon wants to know what we're doing and where we 'ran off' to. But I wont tell him, and he's freaking out."

Laughing I ask, "Why doesn't he just have Derek find us?"

She smiles slyly. "I asked Wolf boy to keep out of our time. He already gets to spend all day every day with you, so I told him we needed girl time."

I smile at her. She really has changed a lot since we meet. She hated me the first week we knew eachother but being the only to teen girls in our group we've grown close. Though she still doesn't know she's Simons sister, we've both become part of the family. I know it was unfair of me know and not tell Tori, Simon, and Derek; but Kit should be the one to tell them. Shouldn't he? He is their father. I just wish he would get on with it alre-

I was taken out of my thoughts by Tori saying "Ok its time to wash the dye out." I can't help but think 'finally'.

I lean back over the sink and run the water. When the dye is washed out Tori has me sit under a hand dryer and drys my hair.

She brushes it out and then tells me to look. I cover my eyes and ask; "Does it look OK? I don't think I can stand another horrible color." She gives me a look. "Just look Chloe."

Her face gives away nothing of her opinion, as if she doesn't care how it looks. Then again after dyeing my hair over and over again and each time having it come out worse then the last, which I didn't think possible, I would probably look like that too. I look and the mirror and...

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><p><strong>I know its starting slow but please bare with me. It will get better. -Clover<strong>

**Ps: I'm writing this for bookluver17. She gave me the idea and I hope I'm doing ok.**


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, just wow. This is the first time in months that I don't look like someone who could raise an army of the dead, the first time in to long that I didn't look half dead myself. If I didn't know for sure that I was blond I might actually think that this was my natural hair color. I guess I spent too long looking in the mirror because Tori commented. "Are you going to stand there gawking like you didn't believe me when I said you were going to look hot or are we going to go flaunt your new look?" Her voice sounded slightly annoyed but her smile took the bite out of her words. I hold back a eye role. She is the only person I know that could take our sercumstances and still manage to make a fashion statement. I turned away from the mirror and looked at her smiling. "Remind me that when ever I need to dye my hair or change my appearance in _any_ way at all that I let you help." She roles her eyes a attempted her irritated look, but she only managed to look amused. We finished cleaning up and headed out of the bathroom. "And by 'help' " She air quoted the word, "You mean pick everything out myself, right?" Then she smiled mischievously as we headed to the counter to pay for the dye and said, "Inless you'd like Derek's _help_ too. We all know how good he is at picking out hair dye." I felt my eyes go round, and Tori laughed. I added a pout to my rounded eyes and said, "You'd let him do that to me again?" Tori just laughed even harder as we headed out the door and started walking. When she finally quieted down she said, "Never again, I swair. Its crule and unusual punishment. One that I wouldn't wish on any one." We started to crack up once again, laughing so hard that we had to sit down on a bench. We had finally started to calm down weezing in breath and whiping tears from our eyes when we heard a, "What do you thinks wrong with them?" From right in front of us, so close that it made me jump. We looked up to see Simon and Derek standing in front of us, then we turned to look at each other, then back at Derek. A few seconds past were we just staired at him then we dubbled over in laughter once again. It really wasn't all that funny, nothing that we had said was but it was just so...so _normal_, that we were drowning in it. We just don't have enough normal in our lifes.

By the time we clamed down from our most resent fit of laughter people were stairing at us, but we were used to it by now. When you've been the new kids in a bunch of small towns, you kinda have to get used to it. Well I try. Tori's been stairing at the guys at least a whole minute now. She clears her throat expectently. When nothing happends and the guys just stair back at her she turns to me and says, "Wow they can be really rude." I lift my eyebrow questioningly at her and hear Simon mumble what sounds like 'look who's talking', but I can't be sure. She sighs and continueing to ignore the guys presents saying, "We've been sitting here almost a whole ten minutes and neither of them have bothered to say anything about how amazeing a job I did with your hair." After a pause she adds, "And how amazeing you look." Both Simon and Derek trun to look at me and I blush intensely. "Wow Tori, you're right." Simon says smileing at me before continueing. "She does look good." Tori snorts, "Good? Did you just say she looks good?" Simon looking confused says, "Uh...yeah?" Oh no. Why are boys so stupid? Now shes going t-. "I resent that! How could you think that she only looks-" Thats when Derek and I skipped out. Its not like they noticed or anything. They might as well know their siblings, they already act like it. Maybe I should being it up to Kit... My inner museings are cut off when Derek stops walking causeing me to almost slam in to him. I look up at him questionaly and he shakes his head, while grabbing my hand "Come on." He says and startsw heading in the opposite direction. "Derek whats wrong?" He shakes his head again and says, "I'll explain in a minute. For now just...walk." We walk in silence, I've learned that when Derek doesn't tell me whats wrong in a situation like this not to keep bugging him about it because he's listening to whats going on around us. Another moment passes and he lets out a curse under his breath, "Ok we're being followed, heres what we're going to do. Speed up a little bit but don't make it look like anything." I start walking faster and he continues, "We need to circle back and get Simon and Tori and try to get back to dad and your aunt since it looks like hes not going to stop following us any time soon. The best we can hope for is some where privet." His voice sounded strained and kind worried. When I look up at him I could see a cupple diffrent emotions flash accrosed his face. Stress, annoyence, worry, and saddness. I understood them all because I was feeling them to, exceot sadness. But I didn't get a chance to ask him about it because he pulled me arond a corner and I caught sight of who it was that was following us. "D-Dad...?"


	3. Chapter 3

By the time we found Tori and Simon I was in full out panic mode. If dad is here does that mean that the Edison Group is here too? Are they watching and waiting? Are they using him?

"Chleo?" Tori's voice snaped me out of my pained thoughts. "Are you okay?"

I almost hadn't noticed that she and Simon had joined me and Derek in our almost jogging twords our temperary home. I tryed to smile at her reashuringly but I guess it didn't work because after looking at me another moment she shaired a look with Simon. As if they could read eachothers minds they asked "What's wrong?", at the same time.

After shooting a glare eachother's way Simon continued "Normaly when we're in a rush because something's wrong I wouldn't ask but Chleo looks kinda shell shocked, so what's wrong?" They all looked at me.

"Its Chloe's dad, he saw us, we have to get back to dad and Lauren."

To my surprise that shut them up. Also to my surprise that seems like the funnyest thing ever at the moment and it sent me in to a fit of histercal giggles, that is in till a voice ran out behind us, "Chloe!"

Dad. His voice stopped me in my tracks. I almost tripped when Derek, who hadn't been expecting me to stop, kept moving causeing me to jerk forward. He managed to kech me before I could hit the gound.

"We have to make it back to the house Chloe." He said in a strained voice, worrie ovious in his eyes. Toir, yes Tori of all people, grabed my hand squeezing it reaseringly before pulling me foreword once again. Unfortonitly my stop gave dad to be that much closer.

Derek pulled us through a allyway and on to a, thankfully, deserted side street. Once he assured us that there was no one else around we broke in to a run.

Even over my labered breath and the sound of my feet hitting the pavement I could head the sound of foot falls behind us. Another person running.

I wanted to scream, to turn around and tell him to stop following us. That it was safer for him if we had no contact. That I was staying away to protect him. At the same time I wanted nothing more then to run to him and hug him and tell him I'm sorry for disapering. And maybe cry...just a little.

We took another side road.

"Chloe!" Dad called for me again and it was the strain and almost despertaion that caused me to pull ahead and run just a little faster. We were nearing the forest, where the paved road turns to a gravle drive and I could no longer stop myself from looking back.

He is so much closer now then he had been before. And in that one glance I saw exatly what my disaperence had done to him. He looks like he hasn't slept in weeks, his eyes are swolen and red like he'd been crying resently, and one of the biggest diffrences was that his clothing is wrinkled. He was no longer the clean cut man I called dad. He looks heart broken.

As we went farther in to the forest I couldn't keep back the few tears that wet my cheeks. All I could focous on was the sound of his steps behind me. If Tori wasn't on one side of me cluching my hand while Derek was on the other with his hand on my elbow guiding me I wouldn't have been able to find my way back to the little house in the woods.

As it came in to view Derek rushed ahead of us, easly over takeing Simon and headng twords the door while yelling; "Dad!"

Tori (who still has a death grip on my hand), Simon, and I reached the house just as Kit came running out hands up like he was ready to cast, should the need arise. He seemed to take in the whole scean in seconds, eyes widening alittle as he saw dad who had come to a stop just feet away as if frozen in place, before turning to Derek.

"Whats goi-" He started but his question was cut short by yet another yell of my name, this time a question.

"Chloe?" He said it as if now that he'd chaced us down he wasn't so sure. I shook my head in silent denile, unable to put words behind it. I reflexsivly tightned my hand around Tori's likely cutting off serculation. I quickly wiped the tears from my face before turning myself and Tori around to face dad.

Everything seemed to go still and no one seemed to know what to say. More time past and my breathing returned to normal. I was about to say something, anything to end the defening silence when Kit step forword saying "Who are you looking for?"

My eyes locked on dads and he seemed to grow shore of him self once again "My daughter. Chloe." He said with a point in my direction.

Kit smiled "I'm sorry but it seems your mistaken. This is my daughter." He layed his hand on my sholder, "Her name is Stacy."

All was quiet for a again. I could see the uncertinty in dad's eyes. I hadn't seen it befor but there had been a hopefull glint in his eyes that I only noticed when it fizzled out. For a moment I was sure he had baught it, sure that he had believed Kit.

But in the next moment I heard another voice "Kit? Chloe? Whats going on?", and I knew it was all over. I prayed that the sound hadn't travled to dad as I looked over my sholder to where Aunt Lauren was walking out on to the pourch. She came to a screaching hault when she saw dad. I looked back over at him and knew that there would be no convinceing him that I was any one but his daughter.

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><p><strong>I know its been along time since I've posted and I'm sorry. Sorry about any grammarspelling mistakes.**

~Clover


	4. Chapter 4

"L-lauren?" Dad asked starring wide eyed at her, then he switched his gaze to me "Chloe!". Again I shook my head in denial. It was no use, he was already coming towards me. Derek shifted as if to intercept him but thought better of it. Before I could think of a way to convince him that I'm not, well me he was hugging me and crying.

When the tears didn't come I couldn't help but think 'wasn't it just minutes ago that this is exactly what I wanted?'. I was hugging him back sure but I was more or less standing there stiff as a bored kind of angled away from him, as if, just by touching I could cause him harm.

When he seemed to pull him self together he held me at arms length, and then he looked at me with an expression he had never turned my way. "What the hell possessed you to run away? Where have you been all this time? Who are all these people? Why didn't you just come home? How could you make me worrie like that?" He started out yelling but by the end I almost couldn't hear him. Then, "You knew where she was, you've been with her this whole time and you didn't contact me, didn't even bother to tell me she was alright?" this was directed at my aunt. Everyone was statue still, when his voice died again.

His hands, still on my arms, gripped tighter the longer he looked at me causing me to wince. That seemed to get Derek moving. He came to my side and out a hand on my back "We should take this inside.". Dad's eyes flicked from me to Derek to Derek's arm and then back again a few times before he said "I don't want to go in side I want answers." This was accompanied by a glare at Derek.

Obviously trying to not yell at Dad the way he would the rest of us when we were doing something that could be considered stupid, like talking out in the open, Derek continued "We'll give you answers if you'd just come in side.". Then he turned to me, "Chloe?" he asked while inclining his head towards the house. I guess Derek decided there is no hope for the 'She'd not Chloe' facade. Dad's eyes snapped back to the arm Derek had at my waist. He didn't seem inclined to let go of my arms.

"Dad." His eyes snapped back to me as the confirmation of who I am left my lips. "Please."

He seemed to be stuck on the word 'dad' but let his hands drop when I pulled away. As Derek led me to the house I could see Simon and Tori whispering to eachother and Aunt Lauren and Kit sharing a strained look, but I didn't hear the tell tail sound of gravel on the walk be hind me.

I turned to see Dad just standing there watching us, me and Derek in particular. Then I relised that as normal as having Derek's arm around me may feel to me, its not normal 'old Chloe' behavior and would be exceedingly weird for Dad.

"Derek I'll meet you in the house." I said as I motioned over my shoulder to where Dad was still standing. Derek looked like he was going to agree but I cut him off, "This'll give you more time to figure out what we're going to do. If it makes you feel better have Tori come out here." He gave me a surprised look. "Don't look at me like that. It's normal for girls to stick close to eachother. It's what we do."

He shook his head as if to say he'd never understand girls and they way they behave, but walked in to the house. I walked the few feet back to dad. Great I've managed to get time to talk to him alone and I have no idea what to say. I shouldn't have sent Derek away, even when he doesn't know what to say he comes up with something. Yet here I am drawing a blank. We just stood watching eachother in till Tori came a saved us form the awkward silence.

"Chloe? Aren't you going to show you're dad the house?" I wonder who told her to say that. Not that I'm not grateful, I even would have settled for her tell me the hurry the hell up like she normally would. I sent her a smile of thanks then turned back to Dad. "She's right, we should get inside."

I grabbed his arm and started to pull him forward. Once we got in to the house he seemed to snap out of what ever thoughts he'd been in. He looked around like he was confused about how he got to be in the house. What's that word Simon used earlier? Shell shocked? Yeah that's it.

Aunt Lauren walked in to the room and said "Why don't you girls give a tour of the house?"

"I don't want a damned tour I want answers." Dad snapped. I walked to the family room and sat next to Derek on the love seat. "Why don't you sit down?" I asked trying to help. After what looked like heavy compilation, he took a seat in the over stuffed chair closest to the door.

"I know you have questions-" Aunt Lauren started, but Dad cut her off, "Yes I have questions! Like why my schizophrenic daughter isn't at the group home shes sapost to be in."

At the same time dad said 'schizophrenic' Tori said "Necromancer." in a loud and clear voice. My eyes shot from Dad to her, then to Derek who nodded slightly. I guess what to tell him had been decided.

"What did you say?" Dad asked Tori.

Tori looked him right in the eyes and said "Chloe is a necromancer. Do you know what that is?"

"Like in the movies? Talking to ghosts? Raising army's of the undead?" He asked in a mocking tone? I don't know why I felt the need to defend my self but I found myself saying "I would never do that. I don't want an army of the dead to control. I even kind of wish that my light wasn't so bright."

It wasn't in till the words were out that I relised what I would sound like to him: crazy.

"I would laughed if I thought there might be a possibility that either of you were kidding." He said looking between me nd Toir. "Chloe, sweetheart, your sick, I know how hard it must be for you finding out you have an illness and being moved in to a group home, but running away wasn't the answer. Its never is. Your Aunt she never have supported that kind of behavior. If there's some kind of problem with the house or the people running it we can find some place new." He looked like he was trying to plead with me.

This time It was Simon who spoke "If there was a problem? You want to know what the problem was? They didn't tell Chloe or Tori or Liz or Brad that they were supernatural. They just started offing them. One by one. But me and Derek already knew. We were raised as supernatural." Simon didn't look like he knew where to go with this. He just dropped a serous bomb. Killing kids? Its shocking.

I continued "Liz got transferred a few nights after I met her. But then I started seeing her. I started talking to Simon and Derek and they explained what they knew about what I am. I could see Liz because they killed her because her powers were out of control. If they'd have told her I know she would have been able to keep it under raps. But it was too late to help her. Its to late to help anyone that I can talk to, if no one else can't." I had started talking at a normal pitch but the last two sentences came out a whisper. Derek pulled me closer to him and I leaned agenst him.

I took a deep breath suddenly feeling tired. It really has been on ething after another since I sawthat first ghost. It was a while before I relised that no one had said anything and that they are all looking at me. I tried for a smile, thought I'm not sure it turned out so well.

"It's not your fault Chloe." Said a timid voice from the arm of the love seat. I hadn't been expecting any one to be that close so I jumped and snapped my head in the direction of the voice. "You know that right?" Liz said.

"I'm sorry." I say to her. I can't help but think that if I'd figured it out just a few days earlier she could be alive. "Liz I really am sorry."

She looks at me with sad eyes "You have nothing to be sorry for, Its really not-" Liz starts but gets cut off.

"This is what I'm talking about. Chloe your sick, you need help. Let me get you that help." Dad tells me in a soft voice.

"I'm not sick. I don't need the kind of help your talking about. What I need is for you to be safe, that's why I've stayed away. That's why I couldn't call or wright or e-mail." I say having had enough.

"Chloe you were just talking to the air. No ones there beside you." He says.

"Mom knew! She knew when she gave me this." I point to the necklace on my neck. "She knew when I was afraid of the 'boogie men' in the basement, she knew what I was seeing was real. That's why she gave this to me, to hide my glow. She knew and she didn't tell you. And she didn't tell me." I wondered for maybe the millionth time whether she was ever going to tell me.

"Chloe let me-" I cut Dad off.

"If your about to say 'help you' don't. I don't need help. I don't need a pyciotrist. Haven't you noticed that Aunt Lauren hasn't said anything? She's a doctor Dad. Don't you think if I needed to be in the wacky shack she'd bring me there. Or if I needed to be on medication she would know wouldn't she?" So how I always thought that he'd believe me, that I wouldn't have to convince him. I guess I was wrong.

"What do you have to say Lauren?" My dad asks.

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><p><strong>I hate stopping there but I'm not sure what it is that Lauren is going to say yet and I might not be able to post again for sometime. I've taken on some projects. I'm going to be writing some thing that is not a fanfiction. It's gonna be called "The exception to the rule". Its the story of my friend's life. Oopsie, wasn't sapost to say that. But I don't think you guys will tell. I'm also going to be starting a website with the help of my friend Booklover once we get some communication things worked out. I'll tell you guys more about it later. ~Clover<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

She turned to me and said "If he didn't believe you, his daughter, then I don't think he'll believe me." She seemed distraught.

"Lauren? Are you encouraging this? She's delusional!" Dad seemed outraged.

"No she's not." This came from Derek. "She is as sane as anyone. Though at this point I'm not sure how." He said the last part with a little half smile.

"I resent that." I say with a laugh. Since when does Derek lighten the mood?

"This is no time to be making jokes!" Dad yells.

"Why are you so mad?" I yelled back. He seemed shocked. Yes sweet little, timid Chloe just yelled back. "You haven't stuttered. Not once this whole conversation."

"Well, yeah. That kinda the affect of running for your life and managing to stay alive. It's a grate confidence boost" I'll admit it, that came out a lot more sarcastic then I meant for it to. Everyone is starring at me again.

I swear a whole minute has passed and they are still starring. I feel my cheeks heat and I say, "I'm sorry."

"No your not!" Tori exclaimed, "You have nothing to be sorry for. You said exactly what you meant. Its what I would have said. Looks like I'm rubbing off on you."

"You say that like its a good thing. We don't need another Tori running around. One is definitely enough." Simon said beaming a smile at her.

Tori's eyes narrow as she looks at Simon. "Shut up Simon, or I'll make you eat your words." Tori brings her hands up. Oh no.

I quickly put my self between the two with Derek at my heels. I face Tori while Derek faces Simon. This is almost ritual in the house and probably looks practiced. Lets just say have had a lot of practice in keeping the magic from flying. Though we normally don't have non supernatural company, and on occasion we've ended up leaving the place we're staying in due to scorch marks on the walls and once a burnt bed. As I mentioned before the fight like the siblings they are, though I kinda wish they didn't have spells to fling at each other.

Derek has the easy job the second someone steps between then Simon calms down. Tori on the other hand still try's to get at Simon. Needless to say Derek and I have been hit with more then our fair share of knock back spells.

"Tori come on, don't do this. My dad is sitting right there. You want him to see you magical beat up Simon?" I ask.

"Hey!" Came Simon's protest at my choice of words. "Its true." Derek told him.

That made me smile. At first I thought that maybe she would just stop but then a kinda scary smile crossed her face.

"I think maybe I do." Tori started turning away from me and towards Dad. "Maybe what he needs is a little demonstration. I know visual aids always help me understand."

"Chloe did you say magic? Where did you say you met this girl again? At that group home, was it?" He looked like he thought he was putting the peaces together. Unfortunately in the wrong direction.

"This is not the time Tori." Kit cut in when her finger tips started to glow. "You have to stop being so impulsive." Tori made a rude sound in the back of her through.

"I'm not impulsive!" Tori shot back. And so madness ensues, and I escape back to the love seat.

At what point is a person allowed to say 'I just can't take it anymore'? When is it allowed to be too much? At what point is a person no longer expected to be able to keep it together? Questions whirled around my head, as Tori slug retorts faster then Kit could put them in a light that wouldn't make dad suspicious and Simon trying to help his father only making it worse, while Aunt Lauren and Derek try to calm my father and further disband the supernatural reference that Tori continued to spout. All of them slipping up and making it worse. I guess that's what panic does to people.

And me? Just sat on the couch with my legs pulled up to my chest trying to calm the questions that keep revolving in my mind. But sometimes emotion gets the best of you and for me I guess I've reached the point where not amount of deep breathing and forced visualization of your 'happy place' can do any good. This starts a whole new line of questioning in my head. What if I really am crazy? Or heading that way? And it begins again.

I don't know how long I sat there in my own head before I relised someone was saying my name over and over, trying to get my attention. "Chloe! Chloe! You need to calm down! Chloe can you hear me?" It wasn't in till the last part was said in a tone that implied panic at the prospect of no longer being heard that I relised two things. First, everyone was still auguring, not even noticing that I wasn't in their mitts anymore. Second, it was Liz trying to get my attention.

I felt a sting of pain on my face. That pain finally caused my brain to focus and I could finally see Liz in front of me. She was holding one of thoughs hard paper panflits, the kind that door to door salesmen hand out. I lifted my hand to my face. "You hit me." Came my voice and it sounded oddly disconnected. "I had to Chloe! I needed to get your attention. If you don't calm down your going to have an even bigger problem soon." Liz seemed both panicked and relieved. Odd.

Then what she said hit me "What do you mean 'bigger problem'?" I whisper-yelled because Derek had looked over when I started talking to Liz. I really didn't need the extra attention right now. "Your summering Chloe. I can feel it. Its like a pull," She had a far away expression on her face, but seemed to shake it off "you need to stop or your going to have a bunch of little animals trying to get in to the house. You just need to calm down." Of course all that did was send my head reeling and cause my chest to squeeze in panic.

"Breath Chloe. Just breath."

"I already tried that! It didn't work out so well the first time either." I told her.

"You have to try again. Now breath with me. In...out...in...out...in...out. Good just like that. Keep going. Breath." Liz kept talking. It was soothing in a way. I tryed to forcouse on the words, thinking them to my self. This isn't working. If only they would be quiet for a minute.

"What the hell?" Then there was quiet. If I knew thinking it would make it happen I would have tried that from the start.

"Chloe? Is Liz still here?" Simon asked. Why would he ask that? They all saw me talking to her earlier.

"Yeah she's here. She was just talking to me. Why?" I still had my eyes closed trying to shove away the crazy feelings so I could deal with them later.

"Chloe look." Derek's voice came from besides me. I open my eyes and followed his gaze to the wall. Liz was standing there with an apologetic look on her face. On the wall at about Liz's height were the words 'Shut up!' in black. I look at her hand.

"Sharpie? Really Liz? How are we sapost to get that off the wall?" She looks at the wall, then back at me and we both start laughing.

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><p><strong>I wanna start out by saying I am going to try and finish the next part and have it up tomorrow. Next as always sorry about any spellinggrammar mistakes. Last I'm gonna go sleep now, so night. :) ~Clover**


	6. Chapter 6

"Would you tell them what I'm saying?" Liz said after we'd stopped laughing.

"Liz wants me to relay what she's saying." I tell them. Their all standing there looking at the wall, except Derek who has talked to Liz without my help, by using paper and a pen. When no one replied I nodded to Liz.

"Sorry about the wall." She paused and I relayed it. It went on like that. "But Chloe's not crazy. And your yelling was really upsetting her and she's already under a lot of stress. And she tends to raise when she's under a lot of stress." I mumbled about not meaning to. "Its not like I could have walked right up to any of you and start talking. It would be as productive as, well, talking to the wall." She finished with a laugh.

I turn towards dad. I want to see him explain this away. I can't help feeling sad, I know what it's like having the supernatural and powers and magic, spilt into your lap and not having much time to presses it. "I'm not the only one seeing the floating marker, right?" He said after a long silence.

"I don't see any thing, what marker are you talking about? The crazy must be rubbing off." Tori said with sarcasms dripping off her words.

"Tori!" I complained while putting my head in my hands.

"Yes we can all see the marker, excuse my daughter." Kit's eyes went wide as if he just re-thought what he said. Simon, Tori and Derek starred at him like he just said the world was coming to an end. I tried to look the same way, but the look Derek shot me made it apparent that I didn't do such a job. 'Later' He mouthed to me. He didn't seem to really want to wait till later but he didn't have much of a choice. Kit pulled him self together and said "Now as you can see, Chloe is in fact talking to someone. Just someone the rest of us can't see."

"How is that even possible?" Dad asked, there was a pause as something seemed to accrue to him. "Chloe you said that you met them," he gestured to Derek, Tori, and Simon, "at that group home, correct?"

Is any one else confused? "Yeah?"

"Were they misdiagnosed too?" Dad asked only addressing me.

"Dad, don't talk about my friends like their not standing right there." I told him.

"Why don't we take a little break, while we figure out dinner? Your staying for dinner right Steve?" Aunt Lauren cut in. Sounding way to normal-family-like for this situation. "Then when we get back we can have proper introductions." She continued, then motioned us out of the room. Dad tried to protest but Aunt Lauren was rushing us up the stairs.

I grabbed Derek's hand and called over my shoulder "Tori. Simon now." They followed us up stairs and into mine and Tori's room. Tori went to turn on the radio like we always did when we wanted to talk about something but I stopped her. "Tori, he's in here too," I said gesturing to Derek, "and this he's allowed to hear."

Simon started laughing "That's why you guy play your music so loud? Look's like they out smarted you." He said the last part to Derek.

"Can we focus?" Derek asks. We all nod, So Derek continues. "Tell us." He says to me.

"I don't know what your talking about." I say faking innocence.

"What is he talking about?" Tori asks me looking confused.

"Did you know?" Derek ask getting to the point.

"Know what?" Simon asks looking as confused as Tori. Their all watching me now and we sit for a moment before I look away. I nod my head.

"But I didn't know it was true. Just something I heard back at the lab. Even if it is true, which I now know it is, it wasn't my place to say anything. I shouldn't even have known." I get out in a rush, surprising even my self when I didn't stutter once. Tori's eyes went wide after another silent moment.

"You knew! You knew there was a possibility the he is my half brother and you didn't tell me? I thought we were friends." Tori exclaimed.

"We are friends. Like I said I heard it at the lab, from a demi-demon no less. Not exactly the most reliable source of information. Plus like I said it wasn't my place to tell you. It was Kit's. It's not like I never thought about telling you." I tried to defend myself and calm her at the same time. I couldn't help but notice that Simon hasn't said anything.

"So you thought about telling me and what? Did you decided it wasn't worth it? That maybe it was better if we didn't know?" Tori seemed less angry and more hurt.

"No! That's not it at all. If I'd told you, you would always wonder why Kit didn't and you'd be mad at him. Tori listen, you had just lost your mom and no matter what you say I know it affected you. I didn't want to be all 'I know you just lost one parent and all but that's OK because you have another one right here.' He might be your father but that doesn't make him your dad or a stand in for the parent you lost. The one you've known your whole life." I tried to make her understand. "You needed to hear it from him. Both of you did."

"You're right." Maybe the world is ending, Tori just said I'm right? "But did you tell wolf boy?" We both look at Derek for the first time since we started talking to each other.

He looks upset. "If I had would he look like he's twenty seconds from chewing me out for not telling him?" This got a smile Tori.

"I guess not" She said back. Derek shot us a glare. We only laughed at him in till Tori stopped and started yelling "Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew. EWWWWWW!"

"What?" I asked her. She walked over to me and whispered. "I liked him, remember?" This caused Derek to laugh. We both sent him a look of horror. "Its not funny!" We both yell at him. He held his hands up in surrender. Simon was still being quiet.

"Simon are you alright?" I ask looking at him. He looks a little spaced out. He shakes his head looking like I startled him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, just confused. He never told me I had a sister." He sounded really upset.

Tori took a step towards him then hesitated looking from him to me. I nodded encouragingly. She stepped closer and put her hand on his shoulder. "At least he told you about your powers, right?" She looked like she wants to help but isn't sure how. She awkwardly patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess your right." He said as he looked up at her and gave a small smile, "We always wanted a little sister didn't we Derek?" Derek didn't seem to know what to say.

"Sure did?" He said it like a question, like he wasn't sure that was the right answer.

"Plus you've kinda grown on us over the last couple months." Simon seemed to be trying to act like everything was fine, like he finds out he has a sister all the time. It wasn't working.

"You guy's already argue like brother and sister so not much will change." I say trying to be helpful. I added a smile for good measure.

"We do not!" They say at the same time, causing me and Derek to laugh.

"Yes, you do." Derek comments. Getting a glare from his adopted siblings. "But we have other things to deal with." He said looking at the door. I'd like to say that watching Tori and Simon made me forget that my dad was down stairs and that we could all be in very real danger as my Aunt discuses dinner plans.

"What are we going to do?" I sigh and lay back on the bed putting my arms over my eyes. I felt the bed dip as Derek sat down, brushing the hair from my face while he removed my arms.

"Crap, I'm sorry Chloe. I'm sitting here acting like finding out I have a sister is at the top of things we have to worry about, while your dad is down stairs." Simon said.

I send him a smile. "It is a big deal. I would be freaking out if I found out I had a sister or brother." I thought about it for a few seconds before adding, "If Tori's your half sister and she has a sister does that make her sister your sister?" I smile sheepishly. "If that made any kind of sense."

"No, they have completely different parents. There is no relation." Derek answered.

"Now stop changing the subject." Simon said pointedly.

"Yeah, are you okay?" Tori added. "You were crying a little earlier and I haven't really had the chance to ask about that." Her almost distressed voice at the prospect of not making sure I was alright made me smile.

"I'm okay." I say with a tight smile "It's just...I...what are we going to do?" I ask again. "What are we going to tell him?" I finish, while sitting up.

Derek put his arm around me. "What do you want to tell him?"

I sigh. "I don't know. It took Liz writing on the wall for him to relies I wasn't talking to myself. I bet I could even convince him that it was a fluke. We could tell him the truth. All of it, starting at my first ghost and ending here, but who says he'll believe it? He'd probably trying to cart me out to the nearest psychiatric hospital." I guess you can say I was kind of upset about that. He was my father, after all. Some part of me thought he'd believe me, since I am his daughter.

"Chloe, he just wants what's best for you." Derek tells me.

I scoff. "Yeah, he's such a good judge of what's best for me. Him and my Aunt both." I don't know where that came from. Looking around at everyone it seems they don't either.

Tori lets out a fake sob and wipes at a non-existent tears. "I am so proud of you! I didn't think you had it in you." She was smiling wickedly at me. "Who would have thought, my little Chloe, voicing her opinion! A negative opinion at that." She dissolved in to more fake sobs that soon turned into a very real laughter.

I felt my face turn a bright tomato red. "I don't know where that came from. I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Tori cut my off,

"Don't say you didn't mean it. You did. They did send you to Lyle House in the first place. Not to mention..." She trailed off with a pointed look. Tori is the only one besides Liz that knows that I don't really trust my Aunt anymore. Even when I tried I kept coming back to the same set of questions. How could she know what I am all these years, and not tell me? How could she let me get sent to Lyle House when she knew that it could result in my death? And one that bothers me enough that it still keeps me up at night, where was she when they killed Liz, when they kill all of the other kids? Where would she have been if it had been me? Not to mention that even after everything she still hates Derek. Openly so.

"I guess you're right, I did mean it." I tell her. I feel my eyes widen. Where's Liz?

"What, what's wrong?" Derek asks.

"I forgot to tell Liz she could come too, now I fell bad." I pause only long enough to take a breath before calling out, "Liz!"

After a minute I'm about to call again when she pops up in front of me. "Where were you Liz? I figured you'd have come up here with us, but you didn't." Her sheepish look says it all.

"Were you spying on them?" I ask her. She nods her head looking down at the floor.

"Good." He head snaps up at the word, "What's going on dow stairs?" I ask her.

She gives me a mischievous smile before saying, "I thought you'd be upset with me for a second there."

"I'm not. It's a good idea." I tell her, then nod for her to continue.

"Well first your dad protested the break and demanded answers, but when he relies that he was getting no ware he stopped. Your Lauren asked if he'd like anything specific for dinner and he said no. He's not really in a good mood. I don't think he likes me." She said with a laugh.

"If he could fomaly meet you I'm sure he'd like you just fine." I say to her, even though I know she was being sarcastic. "What happened after that?" I ask when she doesn't continue.

"Well after looking inn the kitchen Lauren and Kit decided on Pizza and that someone really needs to go shopping because someone eats a lot." Her eyes go to Derek, when she said that second someone. I laughed at her comment and look up at him, sill laughing.

He gives me a weird look and asks, "What?"

I laugh a little more and say, "Oh, nothing. Just Liz." Then I look back at Liz.

"After the shopping comment Lauren muttered a very rude comment. One the earned her a glare from Kit and me. Not that she saw mine but I felt since you weren't there to do it someone had to." She continued.

"Agh, I wish she would just get over it or keep her opinion to her self. I'm getting tired of it. We all are. And thank you for filling in for me." I tell Liz.

"Chloe, not to interrupt or anything but for the rest of us the conversation is one sided. Care to share?" Simon asks.

Tori roles her eyes, "Haven't you been listening?" She asks, looking at Simon. "Obviously Liz told Chloe that Lauren made another rude comment about Derek, and that she, meaning Liz, glared at Lauren for it because Chloe wasn't there to do it." My eyes went wide.

"How did you know that?" I ask her.

"I know my best friends. Plus, what else could you be talking about?" She says. Aww she said best friends. "Though I don't know what she said before that." She admitted.

"We're having pizza for dinner." I tell her.

Tori scoffs "It didn't take that long for her to say 'they ordered pizza'. What else did she say?"

"Well dad didn't want to take a break. He wanted answers. Aunt Lauren is trying to be hospitable and Kit says someone needs to go shopping, hence the pizza. That's it, so far. Can we let Liz continue?" Tori nods and I turn back to Liz. Who's no longer there. Where did she go, I think while looking around.

"Looking for me?" I jump at the sound of her voice. She had moved from her spot by the door and is now sitting next to me and Derek on my bed.

"Some times I think you do that on purpose." I tell her and she laughs.

"Why would I do that. You're already as skittish as a kitten without my help." Liz replied with another laugh. I send her a glare. "Why are you looking at me like that? You know its true."

I roll my eyes. "Liz just tell us what went on down stairs."

She got a 'oh yeah that's what I was doing' look. "Where was I?"

Another eye roll on my part, followed by a "Aunt Lauren's comment and how you and Kit reacted to it."

"Yeah that's where I was." She started. "So then your dad asked what she meant and she said that she couldn't say. That just upset him and he started to come up here but Kit blocked the way and your Aunt asked him to help her set the table. There was a long, heated silence. Kit went and ordered the pizza and Lauren went and made coffee for the three of them. They were sitting there sipping coffee when I left." Once she had finished I relayed what she had said.

"Well that's... boreing." Was Tori's response.

I nod and say "We still don't know what we're going to say. What do you think Kit and Lauren are going to tell him?" I ask. "I don't know if we should tell him everything or make something up or just try to ditch him. All I know is that him being here is putting him and us in danger and we have to do something." I finish in a rush.

"We could tell him. Either he believes us or he doesn't. I don't care either way." Tori says.

"He likely wont believe it, but we could try." Simon added.

"What happens is he doesn't believe us? He'll try to take me away. I can't go with him and he wont just leave us alone, he wont just leave now that's he's found me. If we tell him the truth, we have to make him believe it, and then we have to convince him to leave." I finish in a low voice, before adding, "It's not safe for him. I'm not safe for him." in an almost inaudible whisper. Derek's arm tightens around me and I lean in to him.

"It's not safe for him." I repeat louder this time.

"It's not exactly safe for us either, but I see what you're saying" I think that was Simons attempt at humor.

"Why don't we just see what Dad and Lauren tell him and go from there?" Derek asks.

"Foods here!" We hear called from down stairs.

"Looks like we're out of time. What are you guys going to do?" Liz asks.

"I guess we'll go with what Derek said. I just hope the adults know what their going to do." I answer her. I look around the room, at the people who have become my family and I feel a little better knowing that no matter what happens, they will still be here at the end of the day. Taking a calming breath I walk to the door.

We come back down stairs the same way we went up, Me followed by Derek with Tori and Simon filing in behind us. The only addition being Liz, who didn't bother with the stairs and just popped into the room.

"Ha! You didn't get me this time." I tell her. "I told you I'm not that skittish."

"We'll see about that, we'll see." Liz says, while trying to act menacing.

"Fine, but can we see later? We kinda have a situation to deal with right now." I say as we walk in to the kitchen stopping once we're all through the door. None of us want to be the first to join the adults at the table. I watch as Kit looks over us, obviously relieved that we seemed to be keeping it together.

My eyes move to Aunt Lauren. She is sitting next to Kit, but unlike him she doesn't look relieved. She' glaring at where Dereks hand rests at the small of my back. Even with everything going on she still can't get past he stupid hang ups.

Finally I look at my dad. He seems to be taking us in as a group, but his eyes also land and catch on the placement of Derek's hand. At least he isn't glaring. Just looks sorta bewildered.

I break the tension and move towards the table. I sit across from dad. It's not in till I see a hurt look cross his face that I notice that I'm on the other side of Kit. I only sat here so talking to him would be easier, I didn't mean to hurt him.

Derek sits next to me with Simon next to him and Tori in the last seat.

"All dew respect, but Lauren if you keep glaring and making that face, its going to stick like that." Simon says. Tori and I openly laugh as Simon try's to hold a straight face and Kit, Derek, and Dad hold back laughter.

"I-I thought I was the only one who noticed." Tori said, giggling a little. But that only caused me to laugh harder and she soon joined.

"It wasn't that funny." Aunt Lauren huffed. We only laughed harder.

"They were like this earlier too." Derek informs them.

"Yeah, right before Tori yelled at us for not commenting on Chloe's new hair color." Simon added.

So maybe we are all avoiding the subject at hand. We'll get round to it. Hopefully never.

"I never, uh, found out why you colored your hair in the first place." Dad interjected.

I turn to Kit, momentarily ignoring Dad. "So," I start. "What's it going to be?"

He seemed to contemplate it for a moment and with a sigh he said "I don't think we have much choice. I guess...I guess we tell him everything."

"You better tell me everything. Starting with the day you dyed you hair." He said. "The first time." He tacked on.

As I reached for the nearest box of pizza I said "You mean the day I ran down the halls of my school screaming?" He flinched.

"Yes, that day. That's when it all started." He replayed.

"Actually you're wrong. It started years before that. Before I was born really." I say cryptically. I am a movie lover. I have to set the scene. "But I don't know all the details of that so I'll start where it started for me." I pause and look up from the pizza and in to his eyes. "Do you remember the house we lived in with the basement? It had a cold cellar and a furnace? Mom hung all the lights because she thought was afraid of the dark? It wasn't the dark that I was afraid of, but the people in the dark." I have only told Tori and Derek this part of the story. The rest they already knew. Though I wasn't nearly as dramatic when I told them, but as Liz showed earlier dram seems to get through to him.

"They we're nice. Mrs.. Miller who never called me by my name and Mr. Drake with all his funny questions. I didn't even mind the man behind the furnace. He never bothered me. Though now I think it's because he was a residual. He hung himself and the energy was imprinted in the house. Do you remember me talking about Mrs. Hobb though?" His eyes widened at the name.

"When- when did you remember all this?" He asked. "After we moved and a few years pasted I asked you about them and you never showed any sign of recollection of the imaginary people you'd created. We'd had to move because they frightened you so much."

"They we're all real people. They were just dead. I had a dream the night before my last day at that school. It was about the night that Emily babysat me. The night before mom gave me this," I took the pendent out from under my shirt. "and told me to never take it off." His eyes locked on the necklace.

"She told me it would keep the boogie men away. The ghosts. She knew, even back then she knew." The room was dead quiet as I finished.


	7. Chapter 7

I bit in to my pizza again. "You know I wont be able to finish all this pizza by my self." No one reacts for another minute, then Derek starts opening boxes in till he finds a pepperoni pizza that he hands to Simon and Tori before also taking pizza. The adults act much more slowly and I finish my first piece and have a second before Kit and my Aunt each reach for a box.

I reach over and drop a slice on to Dads plate when he doesn't.

"Do you want to know why she said not to take it off?" I ask him. He only nods his head.

"Actually," I say and idea forming. "how about we let Liz tell us what she sees. I've only ever had it explained to me once and that was followed by me traumatizing an already morning family."

"That wasn't your fault. If that bitch-" Tori started but Aunt Lauren cut her off. "Tori!"

"What? She is a bitch. I know you used to be one of them but she killed Gwen, possibly Andrew, then sedated Simon, Chloe, and me and shoved us into the back of a van. Not to mention the grave yard incident. She fits into the category of bitch." Tori finishes with an icy look pointed at my Aunt.

"Okay." I interject before they could say anything else. I get up and get a peace of paper and a pen. I sit it next to Dad then sit back down. "I have the pendent on. Liz would you please write down what you see when you look at me compared to everyone else?" I watch as she moves the pen across the paper, when she's done I turn my back to Derek and ask "Would you untie this for me?" Surprisingly he does with out an argument.

"Now what do you see Liz?" I ask. Once she was done again I turn away from Derek so he can retie the ribbon. Then I look at Dad. "So, what does it say?"

He looked shaken when he said "You look normal, but Chloe glows. The glow is how I know she's different. Then farther down the page is says; The glow gets brighter when she takes the necklace off. Like a light house on a harbor telling the boats where land is. So bright it can't be ignored. The brightness is how I know she's powerful." He finished and looked up at me.

I looked around for Liz and found her sitting Indian style in the middle of the table. "Trying out poetry Liz?" I ask her smiling. She smiles back and I turn to Dad. "Now do you relies that I'm not sick? That I really don't need a doctor or meds?" I ask him but continue before he can answer. "She had her reasons for not telling us. I wont pretend to know them or understand them, but I've moved past that and eventually you will too." Taking deep breath I say the last part, "I'll tell you everything that's happened, with the help of my friends, Aunt Lauren, and Kit, but only if I know you'll believe us. I know what it's like having the supernatural shoved at you with nothing but a demonstration as proof and I wont do that to you anymore then I already have if you don't want to hear it. But if that's the case we'll need to part ways sooner rather then later. Its still not safe for you to be around me." When all he did was stair I tried again. "I've stayed away from you because I don't want this for you. I don't want to put you in danger. I don't want you to have to be on the run, never able to settle down and stay in one place for long. That's my life, but it doesn't have to be yours." He still just sat there. Looking away from him I turned to Tori, dismissing that conversation, "Have you finished your school stuff for this week? Because I was thinking movie marathon tonight." I punctuated my words with a bite of pizza. "We're already having pizza so we can skip that but we'll have to get more chocolate and gummy worms. And popcorn, can't forget the popcorn."

"I finish it earlier today. We're in a new town, so I figured we'd be exploring. Can't have school getting in the way of that, there might be cute boys." She said with a laugh, thankful acting like this was a normal dinner, or as normal as our dinners ever are. I hear her foot connect with something under the table and saw Simon jump and little, I nudged Derek and they looked at us, Derek looking at me questioningly and Simon glaring at Tori. We gave the boys a look and it seemed Simon finally clued in and started talking,

"Yeah me and Derek finished our stuff yesterday, you know how Derek is about school. We're in but we get to pick the movies this time, last time Tori picked we ended up with a bunch of chick flixs." We were all forcing normal and I was thankful to them for it. As Tori and Simon argued over movies and Derek tried to keep the peace I turned to Kit.

"How was work today?" He seemed distracted as he watched Tori and Simon. He shook himself and his eyes focused on me.

"Fine for the most part, though I had to skip lunch." He flashed me a smile as he reached for another slice of pizza. I turned to Aunt Lauren.

"Anything exciting happen at the hospital today?" Her face lit up.

"I got to help deliver a baby today. Such a beautiful baby girl." She finished with a smile on her lips.

"Aww baby!" Me and Tori say.

Simon turned to Derek "What is with girls and babys?" Derek shrugged and the three of them, Tori, Simon, and Derek went back to their conversation, though I have the sinking suspicion that they are watching me.

Back to my pizza then. I let my mind wonder now that it wasn't completely quiet. Have you ever been in that state where you're listening to everything going on around you but you're not actually hearing it? That's how I was, as I sat eating my pizza in till I heard my name. I blinked a few times as I refocused on my surroundings. A moment passed before I relised Derek was the one who'd said my name.

"Chloe, are you okay?" He asked in a low voice so only I'd hear.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I tell him, voice sounding absent minded.

"Are you okay with..." He trailed off, tilting his head in Dad's direction.

"Honestly?" I asked.

"Always." He answers with a small smile.

"I have no idea. I don't know how I should feel and I wish he'd responded in some way, any way. At all." Sighing I continued. "But he didn't. And I want nothing more then to go back and hide in my room. Or go for a walk in the forest." Derek laughs. I don't see how that was funny.

"If the point was to be alone, then you'll have to rule out the forest. Can't have you wondering around by your self. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get your self into?"

He can always make me smile when something's bothering me. "Who said I was going alone?" I give him another smile and said a silent thank you, that the others conversations are loud enough that no one could hear us. "I'm sure Tori would go with me if I asked."

Laughing a little as his smile drops, I notice how close we're sitting. Both angled slightly away from the table, heads bent together and knees touching. Derek leans in closer and my heart beat picks up, as my brain screams 'He's going to kiss you! With your dad sitting right there!'.

I can feel his breath on my face as he chuckles before whispering, "Not what I meant." in my ear. Sometimes I can't help but hate his heightened hearing.

"No whispering at the family dinner table, its rude." Called my lovely Aunt.

Soon followed by Tori's retort. "Family dinner table? Then we're one whacked out family. Actually we sound like the beginning to a bad joke. 'Two sorcerers, a witch, a necromancer, a werewolf, and two humans sitting around a table.' At least it wouldn't be a 'walks in to a bar' joke."

"The only remotely funny supernatural bar joke I can think of involves vampires and we're lacking in that department." Simon joins.

"Yeah I could see it now 'a vampire walks up to the counter in a bar and the bar tender asks "What would you like to drink?" and the vampire says "I was thinking him." and points at the man sitting next to him.' " Tori finishes, while making a face.

Simon laughs and holds up his hand "That's what I was thinking!" I let out a gasp as Tori high-5's Simon. But Derek beats me to the punch "Did you guy's just agree on something?"

I fake laugh and turn to Derek, "That's what I was thinking!" I say exaggerating the enthusiasm and we high-5, laughing as Tori and Simon glare.

"Tell me." I snap my head towards the voice. Dad's eyes meet mine before he looks at Derek then back to me a few times, before settling on me again. "I want to know everything. I don't care about the consequences. I'll help if I can. I just want my daughter back."

I feel a smile cross my face.

"It looks like everyone is done eating. Why don't we go in to the family room? We still haven't had proper introductions." Aunt Lauren interjects.

We all start to get up, there's no point in agrueing. Though Tori grumbles, "Way to kill the father daughter moment." What would I do without her to say what we're all thinking?

Sighing I get up and put my plate in the sink, everyone else following suit. We head to the family room and Derek and I claim the love seat. Dad sits in the arm chair to my right, leaving Tori, Simon, Kit and Aunt Lauren on the couch. No one made a move to say anything.

Another sigh finds its way out of my mouth and I can feel Derek's questioning look. "Who wants to go first?" I say look around the room. No one's going to make this easy on me are they?

"Okaaaaaay," I drag out the word, "Why don't we start with the adults?" And still no one says anything thing. Yep, no ones going to make the easy.

"So, you already know Aunt Lauren." I start and even I can hear the strain in my voice. "This is Kit Bae, Simon, Tori, and Derek's dad." Kit offered his hand and to my amence relief Dad took it.

This would be a great time for someone else to step in. Anyone? Anyone at all? No? FIne. What's the saying again 'Suffer with a smile'? I can do that.

"This is Simon, Tori, and Derek." Pointing to each in turn, they follow Kit's example and shake my dad's hand. Well at least that's over.

"So you're all...supernatrils too?" Dad seemed to struggle over the world.

"Yes. Simon and Ki- my father," Tori thankfully fielded this question, though she stumbled over what to call Kit. "are sorcerers. I'm a witch and Derek is a werewolf. And you already know what Chloe is."

Dad turned to look at me and Derek, who had his arm around my waist, with wide eyes. Crap. I'll have to make a point of talking to my dad before my Aunt did. The last thing any of us need is her poisoning Dad's opinion of Derek, or werewolfs in general. Derek is the exception to what ever standards she holds werewolfs to and its not fair that she doesn't see that.

Giving me a look that said, we will be talking about this later, Dad continued, "And you all just happened to end up at Lyle house at the same time and got misdiagnosed?"

Well here goes nothing, "No, it wasn't a coincidence. We've all been genetically 'enhanced'. We don't know exactly what they did to us, but we're not normal." I cut off with a choked laugh. "Well as normal as teenaged supernatural's ever are. We've all have noticeable differences then your average, witch, necromancer, werewolf, and even sorcerer. Though Simon is the only on of us here that they considered a success." Once I started it all just seemed to pour out.

"The only difference we know of in Simon is that he doesn't have the ability to tell if someone a witch like Kit can. He didn't know Tori was a witch and he lived with her for months. Other wise he follows the norm as far as we can tell. Tori doesn't have that ability either, but for her its sorcerers. She has more power then any of us have seen in a witch, so much so that it was really out of control for a while. But in her defense she didn't know she's a witch in till after I already knew I am a necromancer."

"I remember that. The day I new for sure. I almost killed you."Tori says with so much nonchalance that it seems to worrie everyone, especially Derek who responded by pulling me closer. It came out of her mouth so easily because we'd talked about it, more then once. She hadn't known what she was doing, she was just mad. But that doesn't matter because Liz saved me, as we found out later, by shoving the desk in front of me. So when she said it like it was nothing, it's because we've decided its just that. It's in the past and what's in the past can't be changed.

That didn't stop Dad's sputter and passed off expression. "She almost killed you?" Well he's not taking this well at all. I guess to him it sounds like a big deal, since he doesn't know everything.

"Oh calm down old man, it wasn't on purpose and Liz saved her. I have better control now then I did then, no ones gonna get hurt." Tori reassured in that odd, sort of insulting way of hers. "Out of every one who's tried to kill her, I don't even make the list of people that need to be worried about."

I've never seen that look, the cross between complete out rage and surprise, on Dad's face ever before, and as Tori's words sunk in it only got worse. "Lauren what did you let me get her into when you vouched for that place over where I wanted to send her?" Dad turned on her.

I hadn't thought he'd heard that comment about her having been one of them. This is all spinning out of control and I need to get it back before something else goes wrong.

"First, we got really off track. Second, yeah she's made some very stupid choices, we've all done that before, but if I hadn't gone there I'd still think I'm crazy, and I wouldn't have meet some very amazing people. So do I regret being sent to Lyle House and the craziness that ensued? Not one minute of it." Through my whole mini speech no one seemed to breath, though Aunt Lauren flinched when I called her out on her stupid choices, as did Dad when I mentioned Lyle house, but by the end Tori and Simon were smiling at me and Derek squeezed my hand.

"Really? Not even a minute?" Tori said with that weird glint in her eyes. Oh no, what does she have planed? "Not even the running through the school halls screaming your head off, not one hour after getting asked to the dance and dyeing your hair for the first time? " Her tone is way to innocent for anyone's good. Meaning mine, since Derek just so happens to not know about Nate. Its not like it matters I didn't go to the dance with him, I was already at Lyle House.

I cover my face with my hands, "Okay I might regret the part a little." I hold my pointer finger and thumb apart a little. "And we're off topics again." She just laughs.

"Where was I before we managed to get off so far off track?" I whisper to Derek while angling myself to face him, trying to get a look at his face to gage his reaction to the Nate info. No luck, his face is completely blank, which pretty much tells me everything I need to know. I'll be explaining later. Oh well, just handle one thing at a time.

He leans down and whispers back, "You just finished Tori." I nod my thanks and turn back to Dad. Who just so happens to be openly staring at me and Derek. Mostly Derek. Crap. No I will not stress over this right now. Just handle one thing at a time, just one thing at a time.

"So, then there's Derek. Who, as far as we can tell, is normal. On the exception of changing earily." Finally getting back on track I opened my mouth to continue but saw that my Aunt was going to add something before Tori stopped her .

"If it's hateful don't even bother." She said not even looking away from me. I threw her a smile not even bothering to try to hide it from my Aunt who sat gapping.

Well on the sun shiny note... "I had two room mates during my time at Lyle House, Rae and Liz. Liz was 'transferred' within my first few nights at Lyle house," I couldn't help the venom the seeped into my voice at the word transferred even as I finger quoted the word. " then Rae switch rooms so she could room with me. Liz was a telekinetic half-demon and is now my favorite poltergeist."

She scoffed from her spot next to Tori, "It's not like you've really met any other poltergeist besides me."

"That's not true," I remind her. "Don't you remember Royce? You met him in the forest. He was throwing rocks and stuff at me? Making nasty comments about other girls and him in the woods? Tried to hit me with a branch? The same branch you hit Derek with a few minutes after you kicked Roices butt?" I smile at her when I'm done.

"Oh, yeah I remember that guy. He wasn't very nice. And you know if I had know that it was Derek I never would have hit him, even if he was there to drag you back to the house and yell at you." She pops up next to Derek while saying the last part. I had to laugh because he kept looking forward, like I knew he would. I'm not still not used to knowing where people are when Derek, with his heightened hearing and sense of smell, didn't.

This earns me a weird look from Derek and a self conscious, "What?" as he tried to figure out when I was staring at him laughing.

"Liz was just talking about," I got to my knees as I was talking and moved so my face was two inches from his, "this far away from the other side ofyour face. It's still weird for me that I'm the only one that reacts when she does things like that." I said while sitting back down in my previous position. "She also said she didn't mean to hurt you. I've managed to get off topic again didn't I."

"It's okay, your blond. We understand." Simon said. Tori grabbed for one of the couch pillows before promptly smacking him with it. "Ouch! Tori, what the hell? What was that for?"

She caught the pillow as he swung it in retaliation. "Your blond you idiot."

"Anyway, yes Liz you are, by far, my favorite poltergeist. My second room mate, Rae, was or is, we're not exactly sure, a fire half demon. Rumor is her mother came for her between me and Tori getting out and Tori, Simon, and I being dragged back. But I was told that by a demi-demon, who I'm sure would have told me anything to get me to release her. Come to think of it she still owes me a favor, but last I heard her master, a higher ranking demon I guess, was kinda pissed off at her so I dout she'll be popping up any time soon." God I'm babbling. Get. A. Grip. "Last is me. The necromancer that raises the dead in her sleep and shoves innocent people back into their rotting corpses when she panics. The prettiest abomination a demi-demon's ever seen. She told me that when we were in my cell back at the lab. That and if I really wanted to get out I could just summon a army of the dead from the cemetery two miles away, they'd be mine to command. The worse part is that she's right, I could have done it. The thing is though, I would have done it, if that's what it took to get everyone out alive." I was speaking directly to my dad now.

Of course we all talked about all of this before. The others and I. Everyone telling me that it doesn't matter since it didn't come down to that. But that doesn't change the fact that I would have done it. I would have shoved countless people back into their body's and forced them to claw their way out of their graves to save myfriends, my Aunt and myself. And Kit when he came in the the picture. But I didn't have to and I guess their right, I've come to terms with what I am, what else could I have done?

"Chlo, there's nothing wrong with using your powers." Derek said from besides me. My heart gave a jump, that I'm sure he heard,when he used the nickname he'd taken to calling me. This is a line of conversation we've been over many times. Both of us having killed someone with our abilities we had something more in common. Tori and Simon had both found us multiple times going in the same circles of the conversation, both arguing both sides depending.

He says I did what I had to do so I shouldn't be hard on my self. I did save everyone's life's after all. All the while heating him self for kill Ramond. That s where we switch sides, I tell him he was just doing what he had to do, he says there had to be another way. I remind him that he saved my life and he reminds me that he did it b taking someone else's. In the end we both agreed that we both just did what was necessary and that we shouldn't beat our self up about it. I think we both do anyway.

"I know." I say nodding while giving a smile. "So, who wants to start, because I feel live I've done all the talking."

"I guess I'll start." Simon offer. "Since he already knows how you got to Lyle house but he doesn't know how me and Derek got there. Or how Tori ended up their either."

With that Simon launches into the story of how Derek came to live with him and Kit. Then how they grew up, leaving out most of what happened to the kid Derek threw. He finished after he explained finding his dad missing and how that ended with them at Lyle House. Lastly explaining what happened in till I showed up. He did all this with little help from Derek.

Tori went next explaining her horrible mother and how she'd come to be in the group home after a particularly bad out burst. She also ended with meeting me at breakfast.

When Tori had finish and all had been quiet for a few moment I spoke again, "Liz do you want to..." My words trail off when I look around and don't find her. Where did she go? "Liz, if you're trying to scare me again, can it please wait 'till later. I'll even admit defeat and say you were right." Still no answer came.

"Hum I wonder where she went." I shrug. "I guess as long as nothing life or death happens there's no reason to bother her. Where ever she is." Seeing my Dad's confused face I rush to explain. "Liz does recon and that type of stuff, since in less the bad guys have a necromancer around, which only ever happened once, no one can see her but she can see and hear them. Alog with her ability to move things, even as a ghost. She even opens doors when need be." I smile up at Derek remembering Liz's opening door poltergeist comment.

That seemed to spark another memory, "You know," I say turning to Simon with a smirk, "I have yet to meet an albino. I guess your statistics are off." I felt rather then heard Derek chuckle deep in his chest.

"So now that we're all at the same place who wants to start on what happened next?" I ask. Simon seems at loss for a response so I guess it's time to move on. "I guess I'm starting then?"

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly. "The first morning at Lyle house I woke up to Liz going threw my clothes and we went down to breakfast, where I met Rae and Tori. When we had finished eating we were going up stairs and in the stair well I saw m first ghost, well partial ghost, in the house..." With the help of my friends, Aunt Lauren and Kit we filled Dad in on everything that happened. We just happened to leave out all kissing and hand holding and some other choice moments.

Like how Derek is mostly naked before his weekly changes and completely naked after words. Yeah definitely left that out. And how Derek snapped Liam's neck because that's still between just the two of us. Where it'll always stay.

Other then that there wasn't much editing. Not even the nasty comment by Laim and Ramon about me in the park that Derek recalled with scary accuracy. I guess, like me, that day will forever be burned in to his mind.

Everyone got quiet again after Derek explained the promise he, very reluctantly, made to Aunt Lauren and Kit's entrance. Leaving off after he tackled me when the ceiling caved in.

"When everything settled we stood up and there was a round of 'are you okay's?' then Liz was yelling Tori's name and I had this moment of dread, but she moved when I called out to her. Aunt Lauren was under some rubble in the space between me and Tori, but she was moving. Then Kit was telling Tori to come towards him and he seemed to come up short when he saw her. Like he was looking at her for the first time and really seeing her. We know why now. The guards and Dr. Davidoff were berried and Tori's mom was laying next to her. She was dead. " I moved to go on quickly but Tori's whisper cut me off and I knew that more then anyone else, she was back in that moment.

"Ding-dong, the witch is dead." The same comment she'd made then.

"Then Tori went to help Aunt Lauren uncover her self. Dr. Davidoff had his eyes open and he was controlling a bored swinging it towards Tori, Liz tried to stop it but it still hit her. Aunt Lauren got to her feet but Dr. Davidoff had a gun to her head. Liz picked up the plank he'd hit Tori with but he saw her and threatened to shoot Tori if she moved. He told Kit to take Simon and Derek and leave, since they both seemed relatively normal. He also said not to worrie. That Tori and I would be taken care of. Derek refused to leave. So he said to take Simon and leave. Cut his losses. Kit refused, saying he would leave with out both his sons, Tori, Aunt Lauren, and me. And I knew what I had to do. Derek was too far away and it would have taken to long for either Kit or Simon to cast, which Dr. Davidoff was quick to point out. He would have been able to shoot both Tori and Aunt Lauren before anyone could do anything. But me." The words where rushing out now. Like they'd been damned up inside of me and someone had opened the flood gates, they rushed out. Derek, much like he had that night, had started rubbing circles in to my shoulders.

"So I summoned Mrs., Enright. It's the last thing that he expected to happen. I guess that's why it worked. I told her to grab the gun. And she did. Dr. Davidoff thought I was talking to Aunt Lauren. Then I told her to shoot him. And she did. He fell and I released her. Aunt Lauren went to check his pulse but I could see him. I knew he was gone. We had to get out of there. Derek grabbed Tori and we left, taking Kit's car. After that we've moved from place to place. Never staying any where long. And that's been enough, until now." I let my eyes fall shut when I finish.

I will never get the look on his face when I explained how I killed Dr. Davidoff, out of my head. A mixture of shocked and horror. I feel my self shrink back farther in to the couch and Derek's side at just the image of it inside my head. Say something. Please just say something, before I crack and start balling my eyes out.

What if he thinks I'm a monster? It sure looked like he does. What if he hates me knowing what I did, knowing what I can do. What if he's glad to be rid of me?

I hug my legs to my chest, while keeping my eyes clamped shut.

No one said anything, though I could feel their eyes on me.

Derek's hands still on my shoulders. I opened my eyes to shoot him a questioning look and jumped in surprise.

Somehow, without me having heard him move, Dad had ended up kneeling in front of me on the floor.

Dad has never been very a affectionate person. So I guess I can be forgiven for being surprised when he pulled me into a hug that I returned after a moments hesitation.

"I am so sorry Chloe." his voice shook as he said it.


	8. Chapter 8

"I didn't know what to do when I got your letter. I thought-" Dad started when we broke apart.

"You sent him a letter? Chloe you know how dangerous that is! How could you do something so stupid and reckless!" Well then. Derek hasn't yelled at me like that in months. What am I supposed to say to that? Mouth agape all I could do was stair.

Tori, on the other hand didn't seem to be having any speech problems. "Oh get your panties out of a twist wolf boy. We didn't put anyone in any danger."

"We? You helped her?" Derek was obviously mad, but at least he wasn't yelling anymore. Or maybe he only yells at me. Just like old times. Not to sound bitter or anything. I put space between us.

"She needed help deciding what places to send it to." Tori snapped back. She's not one to take Derek's crap.

This seems to bring Derek up short, "Places?" He put enfases on the 's'.

"Yes places. What kind of stupid do you think we are?" Tori asked.

"Well..." Simon didn't get any farther before she slapped his arm.

Sighing I told them. "I told Tori that I needed to let Dad know that I'm alright. I couldn't let him keep thinking I was just gone. And after a month, despite what she said, Aunt Lauren hadn't said anything about it, so I got Tori's help." I sound completely defensive but I couldn't help.

"You could have-" Derek started.

"I could have what Derek? Told you? Come to you?" I asked, "No I couldn't have because I knew you'd get upset thinking about how it could put us in danger. Simon would have told you, so he was out. Kit already deals with everything else, where we're going to go next, staying one step ahead of the people after us, keeping us in school, and him in work. He didn't need something else to worry about. And Aunt Lauren already showed she wasn't exactly inclined to help since I asked her before and she did nothing. But none of that matters anyway because Tori was the first person I thought to go to. She understands." The look on Dereks face was like I'd slapped him.

"I'm not saying that you wouldn't have, but I was trying to skip all this dram. You'd probably have helped me once I'd explained the way I was going to go about it. But all I had to say to Tori was that I was going to send that letter and she didn't need a explanation on how I was going to do that without a negative consequence, she just trusted that I knew what I was doing." I finished looking into his emerald green eyes.

"How did you do it?" He asked. His face was blank again. Great, I have no idea how to tell if he's just curious or if he's checking to see if my plan was sound.

"That is actually where I came in." Tori answered for me. "I helped her get envelopes of different sizes and get a whole bunch of stamps. Then we researched small family owned business around America. We decided to use diners because that seemed safest. What would the Edson Group have to do with small family owned diners? We addressed the envelopes to these diners, never two in the same state. Texas, Washington, Florida, Montana, California, Maine, South Dakota, Arkansas, and then to her dad in New York. Her letter went in the smallest envelope, then that envelope into a bigger one addressed to one of the other places, and so on." She turned to me as if to say 'your turn' or maybe more like 'you're welcome'.

"We never touched any of the paper with our hands, we kept gloves on, even when I was writing the letter to dad. That way there was no possible way for them to have finger prints. We didn't lick any of the stamps or envelopes, no DNA. We even went as far as getting really strong and discustion smelling perfume, that we sprayed on all of the papers, no sent." Derek's eyes lit as if something finally made sense. "We left notes inside the envelopes asking for it to be sent on, they already had stamps so it wouldn't cost anything."

I left it to Tori to finish, "Then the next time we moved, I popped it into the mailbox, right before we pulled out of the drive way, as Chloe distracted you and Simon and Ki-t and Lauren made sure everything was packed." She said Kit's name awkwardly, breaking it into two parts, like she wasn't sure that was it or not. "It wasn't traceable because there was no return address, and we sent it all over the place, no DNA or finger prints or sent to suggest Chloe or me. We agreed that if Kit and Lauren decided to move us south, towards Arkansas, then we'd tell everyone what we'd did. But since we came no where near any of the places the letter went, we didn't say anything. So again I say, get your panties out of a bunch, wolf boy."

Was that guilt that flashed in his eyes? "That was really smart. I'm sorry I over reacted." I nodded but kept the distance between us. I can't just let him off, because if I do he might go back to just yelling at me, instead of talking to me about it and i don't want that.

After a few moments Simon cut threw the awkward, "What did it say? The letter I mean. You went threw a lot of trouble to send it...So what did it say?"

"It said: Hi," I stopped when I released someone's voice mirrored mine.

"-Dad, it's me Chloe. I'm so sorry for what I've put you threw by disappearing and I'm sorry that I can't come back. You'll be safer this way. Just know that I'm alright and I love you. I have people looking out for me and I'm exactly where I need to be. Love you and miss you more then I could ever tell you, Chloe." He'd memorized it. Said the whole thing while looking me strait in the eyes. Then he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a generic peace of lined paper, that looked worn and had more creases then I could count.

"My letter." Suddenly my eyes burned again. Looks like I'm destined to ball my eyes out today. I pushed the tears back, gritting my teeth and letting my nails bite into my skin.

"I wrote it at least a thousand times. Some times I kept writing in till the whole story was there on paper, but I couldn't tell you, the less you knew the better. The safer it was for you. So I'd burn them. Then I found myself making promises I had no way of knowing I could keep. That one day I'd come back to see you or that I was safe. I couldn't let myself get your hopes up knowing that I might never be able to see you again. So I burned them too. And that's what I was left with." I pointed to the short letter in his hands. "It didn't seem like enough."

"I understand." Was all he said back. Everything was quiet once again.

"Steve, can I talk to you a moment?" Aunt Lauren asked. No, she is not talking to him alone before I do. Not going to happen.

"Actually would it be alright if I talked to him first, there's just so much I have to tell him." I say sweetly. So maybe acting all nice is a little dishonest, but still. She might convince him that I shouldn't be there or that I shouldn't be around Derek. I really wish she'd stop hating him so much. I had really thought that after what happened at the lab she'd had a change of heart about him, but as it turns out she seems to hate him just as much if not more.

"Sure sweet heart." He said looking between Derek and I. I'll take what I can get. If he wants to know about me and Derek I'll tell him about me and Derek, as long as he hears it from me first.

I flash him a smile.

"Well," Kit says as he stands, "why don't we leave them alone to talk and catch up?"

There's a murmured agreement and Tori and Simon head for the stairs, but Aunt Lauren and Derek hesitate. I send Kit a pleading look and he asks Aunt Lauren to join him in the kitchen.

I turn to Derek, "I'll be alright really."

"If you need me, call me. I'll be up stairs." He squeezes my hand then follows his siblings upstairs, as I stair after him. I hope we're okay. Does he consider what happened a fight? What about the Nate thing. I wasn't keeping it from him, I just never really think about it. I hope he doesn't think I was keeping it from him. I really have to talk t-

"So you and Derek huh?" Dad's question snapped me out of my thoughts and my face instantly heated. All I could do is nod.

"I've missed so much. You've grown up so fast. You don't stutter anymore, you're dating a boy I'll never beable to properly intimidate-" He seemed about to go on but I couldn't stifle my laughter at the thought of anyone trying to intimidate Derek. "What?" He asks sounding dumb founded.

I clap down on my giggling, "I'm sorry, but the thought of anyone trying to intimidate Derek is funny."

He cracked a smile and moved to sit next to me. "That's my job as your father Chloe. Like I was saying, not only are you dating but your standing up for our self and protecting your friends and stabbing dangerous men in the legs, being shot at, doing things you don't want to do to save people and still coming out of it with your head held high and a smile on your face." He smiled but looked sad. "Your strong and independent, and you've never reminded me more of your mother then you have today. She would be proud of you Chloe, I know I am."

"Dad, I really have missed you." I told him.

"I know sweetheart, I've missed you too. Now why don't you tell me why your keeping Lauren away from me." I've never known Dad to be the observant type, I guess he's changed in the last few months. I must have looked dumbfounded because he added, "Yes, I noticed that, I also happened to notice she doesn't like Derek. Which is why I'm guessing you wanted to talk to me before her?" He asks with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, that's part of the reason, but I also wanted to know if you're okay. I mean it's been months and it looks like you've hardly slept in all of that time. And I know that it's my fault." I couldn't keep the guilt from my voice.

"Don't talk like that Chloe. You didn't ask for this to happen anymore then anyone else. I understand now why you stayed away, you did it to protect me." He took a beep breath and seemed to be stealing him self agensted something. "Now it's my turn to protect you. I know that means I'm going to have to leave you again. With a man who's first words to me were a lie, and your werewolf boyfriend." He seemed to think that was funny.

"Kit was lieing trying to protect you. And Derek seems like very nice boy. Not that I like the fact that you're living with your boyfriend. " This was said with a pointed look that said he really would try the intimidation thing if he had to. "This place, with these people is where you're safest. You where right, you are where you need to be." Aww Dad.

"But," Why is there always a but? "promise me that if it's ever safe, I'll be the first person you come to see."

"Of course you would be Dad!" I threw my arms around him. We stayed like that for a while before he reminded me, "You never did tell me why Lauren doesn't like Derek. If it's something bad you need to tell me."

I may have been putting this part off, just a little. "He hasn't done anything bad. She doesn't hate him for who he is, but what he is. But that doesn't stop him form trying to get her to like him. I really wish he wouldn't. She's the one with the problem. Not him."

Dad regarded me for a moment. Then seemed to come to a decision. "You feel very strongly about this boy." It obviously wasn't a question.

My face heated almost instantly. "Yes." I say answering him anyway.

He seem to be steeling him self. "Then I guess I should formally meet him."

That got my heart beet going. What if he doesn't like Derek? What if Derek doesn't like him.

"Why don't you go get him?" Dad offered after a moment.

I shook my head and called "Derek could you come down here?" In a normal tone, as if I was talking to Dad, who gave me a strange look. Might as well get this part out of the way. He'll find out about all of our various abilities soon enough.

I almost laughed when Dad's eyes widened signaling Derek's silent arrival behind me.

I turned to look at him and smiled when I saw the apologetic look on his face.

"I didn't mean to listen to you guys talking. I turned on the T.V. and tried talking to Simon and Tori, but their busy sitting in front of the mirror in your room trying to find resemblance..." He trailed off.

I smiled at him again and inclined my head towards the spot next to me that Dad had, moments ago, vacated. I was about to tell him it was okay when Dad spoke.

"You could hear us from all the way upstairs?" He asked Derek.

"Ugh...yeah." He said sheepishly cheeks turning pink. Before stammering out, "I didn't mean to. I try not to eavesdrop when I don't have to. I don't mean to invade anyone's privetsy. It's just hard to not hear everything." He finished in a rush.

Dad looked a little taken aback. I think my face mirrored his surprised one. I had never heard Derek say that much to anyone he just met, ever. It's unheard of.

Dad recovered first. "So... Why don't you tell me more about your self and werewolfs?" He asked Derek. We exchanged looks.

"Well," Derek started hesitantly. " what do you want to know?"

* * *

><p>The night went on like that. He met everyone and asked a bunch of questions. It was the most involved he's ever been with me. Tori talked his ear off about everything, including things about Derek I'd rather have been left out. Simon showed him the pictures he'd done about our adventures, along with my narrations.<p>

As it turns out him and Derek got along fine. It was odd to see really. Both of them trying to make a good impression on the other for my sake.

By the time Aunt Lauren got to talk to Dad, not only would he not listen to her about Derek, but he defended Derek and said he approved of him. Making us both insanely happy.

Dad left in the morning, after a sappy tear filled scene. He was going to wait another month or two before retracting the offered money for any information about me and I promised to send another letter soon.

So all and all not the worse thing that could have happened.

* * *

><p><strong>So...that's it. I had no idea how to end that. If everyone hates it I'll try again but as long as the person this was written for likes it, I'll let it be. Go ahead and tell me what you think. I might do another fanfick for Darkest Powers set after Belonging. We'll see what happens. ~Clover<strong>


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